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Voter approval sought to fund Grant Suburban Fire District

By Jan RahnManaging Editor Voters in the Grant Suburban Fire District will be asked to approve a continuation of the tax levy to fund fire protection when they take to the polls during the May 15 Primary Election. According to Grant Fire Chief Don Softley, voters in the fire district approved the tax levy nine years ago and again four years ago for the purpose of funding the operations of the fire district. The ballot question to be put before voters this month will ask for approval of a levy not to exceed 6.9 cents per $100 valuation for another five-year period. Softley said the vote is necessary for continuance of the Grant Suburban Fire District because the operations of the fire district are not the legal obligation of the Perkins County budget and there are no such funds within the budget. Other political subdivisions in the county must also obtain funding through a direct vote of the people, such as the Madrid Cemetery Board, who is asking for levy approval not to exceed two cents per $100 valuation. According to Softley, the Grant Suburban Fire District Board has maintained a budget that has decreased its levy asking each of the past four years. He said the intent is to continue this trend, or at the very least, maintain a level tax levy asking. “Without a ‘yes’ vote on the specific funding question for the fire district, the fire district truly has no other funding options,” said Softley. Average responses per year by members of the fire department total 170. The average number of hours for members being “in service” is 1,600 per year and they commit an average of 1,000 hours per year toward training. Softley encourages voters to again approve funding which will allow continued protection of those served by the fire district.